It is already known practice to place control buttons in the spokes of the steering wheel that connect the central portion to the rim of the steering wheel, for example in order to control communication and/or audio functions or even the speed limiting/regulating function.
However, in the context of increasingly elaborate human-machine interfaces, this solution lacks flexibility because the buttons are often dedicated. Thus, touch zones have been provided on the one or more spokes of the steering wheel as an alternative to control buttons. If the driver uses his or her thumb, this gesture may be imprecise or result in unwanted commands; it is more comfortable to use the index finger but the hold on the rim of the steering wheel must be released to do so. However, road safety requires the hands to be kept on the steering wheel or in immediate proximity thereto.
Additionally, the use of translucent touch-sensitive zones with detection from both sides has been proposed, but it turns out that the driver's view therethrough may be substantially affected.